Lightning & Thunder Ministry Apostolic Center

Obituary of Richard Dick Kessler
Richard Allen (Dick) Kessler, 72, of Richland died early Wednesday March 27, 2024, at his home. He was born in Fairfield November 17, 1951, to Charles L. and Betty Jean Bray Kessler. He attended Rubio and Richland grade schools and graduated from Fairfield High School. Dick worked at his fathers stores, Kessler Distributing, in Fairfield and Ottumwa. He married Rosa Lea Doolin July 20, 1985 at Lake Darling State Park. He was a lifelong farmer on the family’s 6 generation farm near Rubio and founded the Kessler Land and Cattle Company, a cow/calf operation. Dick was also an evangelist and traveled to many nations throughout Africa, India, and the Caribbean. He and Roses ministry, Lightning and Thunder, established bases in Lusaku, Zambia, Camaguey, Cuba, and Belize City, Belize.

Dick is survived by his wife of 38 years, children: Sandy Fiedler (Andrew) of Fairfield, Rick Kessler (Lora) of Richland, step-children: Robin Yoder (Brenda) of Central City, IA, Bob Yoder (Vicky) of Caseville, MI, Jodie Yoder of Haubstadt, IN, 14 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, and his brother Chuck Kessler of Eldon, nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, 1 grandchild, 1 great-grandchild and his sister Bobbie J. Johnson.

Funeral services will be 11:30 A.M. Monday April 1, 2024, at Lightning and Thunder Ministry Apostolic Center, 2875 Oak Meadow Drive, Ottumwa, IA 52501. Visitation will be held immediately preceding the funeral at 9:30 A.M. Pastor Bill Chilcote officiating. Burial will be in Old Methodist Cemetery, Richland. Memorials to Lightning and Thunder Ministries – Lusaka Mission, may be left at the church or mailed to the family at 32570 310th Street, Richland, IA 52585. Gould Funeral Home of Richland is in charge of arrangements.

Our God is full of Mercy and lifted Pastor Richard up in his time of pain.
As I Sat with him here in our home at his passing on into God’s Heavenly Kingdom we were in peace.
The enemy comes to rob, kill and destroy, BUT GOD, comes to give life and abundant life.. God gave Richard the greatest miracle of all, to transcend him into His eternal heavenly home.
We were praying for a miracle for recovery, but pancreatic cancer had advanced too far to turn it around.. however we did not let go of Gods Healing power.

A Message from Pastor Rose
Lightning and Thunder Ministry will continue on as Pastor Rose takes the Apostolic Center on into the vision that we started with in 2003.
The fiery preaching and the anointing that Richard carried will be missed by all who knew him.
His passion was to see souls brought in to The Kingdom of God. The Matthew 10:7&8 commission was upon him.
The ministry will go on into that calling.

The Apostolic Center will be a training and equipping Center for all denominations and peoples who want to grow in their relationship with the Trinity.
Along with Pastor Rose teaching, there will be guest speakers with different anointing’s with subjects to bring us all into a deeper relationship with the Lord and Savior.

We look forward to being a Lighthouse in not only the Ottumwa area, but to the Southeast Iowa area..
We do have a Sunday morning service at 10:00 am.